The Impacts of Unmet Needs for Long-Term Care on Mortality Among Older Adults in China

Abstract

The unmet needs of persons needing long-term care have recently drawn attention in China, the nation with the world's largest elderly population. Using national panel data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), we examined the 3-year mortality of 3,089 Chinese adults above the age of 65 years who required long-term care. Long-term care needs were measured by the inability to perform any of the following six activities of daily living for 3 months: eating, dressing, bathing, getting in/out of the bed, indoor transferring, and toileting. Exponential parametric hazard models were used to investigate the association between unmet care needs on subsequent mortality. Results showed that older adults with unmet needs had an approximately 10% increased risk of mortality compared with those whose needs were met when demographics were under control. The risks were particularly elevated among older women and among urban older adults. We conclude by discussing these findings and the importance of a national social insurance program (or additional programs) specialized for the provision of long-term care in China.

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